B-12 News

MONDAY, March 21, 2016 – More seniors than ever are taking supplements alongside their medications, a practice that puts them at risk for dangerous drug interactions, researchers report. More than 15 percent of older Americans took potentially life-threatening combinations of prescription medications, over-the-counter drugs and dietary supplements in 2011, the study showed. That was almost a twofold increase from 2005, when 8.4 percent of seniors did so. "Alongside the growing use of multiple medications, there is also a hidden, and increasing, risk of potentially deadly drug interactions in older adults," said lead researcher Dr. Dima Qato. She is an assistant professor of pharmacy systems at the University of Illinois at Chicago. Many of these interactions involved heart drugs and supplements, such as omega-3 fish oil supplements, which are more commonly used now than they were five ... Read more

-- If you're feeding your child a vegetarian diet, make sure he or she is getting enough essential nutrients. The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics says the child's diet should include: Vitamin B12, found in eggs and milk. If the child is on a strictly vegan diet, fortified soy products and fortified cereals are good sources. Vitamin D and calcium, found in fortified milk and dairy products, such as cheese and yogurt. Iron, found in daily supplements and fortified cereals. Protein, found in beans, fortified cereals and soy milk. Yogurt and eggs also are good choices. Fiber, found in fortified and whole-grain breads, pastas and cereals, as well as avocados, nuts and seeds. Read more

WEDNESDAY, May 13, 2015 – A cheap and easily available vitamin supplement appears to reduce a person's risk of skin cancer, new research contends. A form of vitamin B3 called nicotinamide is linked to a reduction of non-melanoma skin cancers by 23 percent when taken twice daily, according to Australian researchers. "It's safe, it's almost obscenely inexpensive, and it's already widely commercially available," said senior author Dr. Diona Damian, a professor of dermatology at the University of Sydney. Nicotinamide costs less than $10 for a month's supply and is available at pharmacies and health food stores, she said. However, more study is needed before researchers can say whether everyone would benefit from the supplement. "It's not something we'd recommend at this stage for the general population," Damian said. The study is slated for presentation May 30 at the upcoming annual ... Read more

FRIDAY, May 8, 2015 – For obese Americans who are low on vitamin D, taking a supplement of the nutrient might help them lose weight, a new study suggests. According to an Italian team, led by Luisella Vigna of the University of Milan, prior research has shown that vitamin D deficiency is associated with a higher risk of obesity and obesity-related complications. However, studies on the use of vitamin D supplements to curb obesity have so far been inconclusive, the team said. The new study included 400 overweight and obese people with vitamin D deficiency who were put on a low-calorie diet and then divided into three groups. One group took no vitamin D supplements, while the two other groups took either 25,000 international units (IU) or 100,000 IU of vitamin D per month. After six months, participants in both vitamin D supplementation groups had lost more weight and had greater ... Read more

THURSDAY, April 30, 2015 – People who live in regions with low sunlight may have a higher risk of pancreatic cancer, possibly because they don't get enough vitamin D from the sun, new research suggests. "If you're living at a high latitude or in a place with a lot of heavy cloud cover, you can't make vitamin D most of the year, which results in a higher-than-normal risk of getting pancreatic cancer," said study co-author Dr. Cedric Garland. He is an adjunct professor with the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine's Department of Family Medicine and Public Health. "People who live in sunny countries near the equator have only one-sixth of the age-adjusted incidence rate of pancreatic cancer as those who live far from it," Garland said in a university news release. "The importance of sunlight deficiency strongly suggests – but does not prove – that vitamin D deficiency ... Read more

WEDNESDAY, Nov. 12, 2014 – Taking vitamin B12 or folic acid supplements may not reduce seniors' risk of memory loss, according to a new study. Past research hinted that taking vitamin B12 and folic acid might help protect memory and thinking skills, according to background information from the study. But follow-up trials have yielded less convincing findings. The current study included nearly 3,000 people. Their average age was 74 years. Half took a tablet daily with 500 micrograms (mcg) of vitamin B12 and 400 mcg of folic acid, and the rest took a placebo every day for two years. All of the participants had high levels of an amino acid called homocysteine, which has been linked to memory loss and Alzheimer's disease, according to the study. Memory and thinking skills tests were given at the start and end of the study. Results of the study appear online in the Nov. 12 issue of the ... Read more